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Clinical Trial
. 1992 Jan;7(1):13-7.
doi: 10.3904/kjim.1992.7.1.13.

Interferon alpha therapy in patients with chronic type C hepatitis: changes of serum ALT, anti-HCV & HCV-RNA

H J Cho  1 , S H Dong, M S Lee, H Y Kim, C K Park, J Y Yoo, A Polito, S Quan, J H Han
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Interferon alpha therapy in patients with chronic type C hepatitis: changes of serum ALT, anti-HCV & HCV-RNA

H J Cho et al. Korean J Intern Med. 1992 Jan.

Abstract

Background: After the discovery of type C hepatitis virus, the studies on this virus are extensively progressing. The treatment of this viral infection is also widely progressing. Among many agents, recombinant interferon alpha therapy is generally accepted as an effective single agent. To evaluate the efficacy of interferon and to observe the changes of serum aminotransferase (ALT), antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and HCV ribonucleic acid (HCV-RNA), we treated 10 patients with chronic type C hepatitis for 6 months.

Methods: Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: 5 patients in group A received interferon and the other 5 in group B received no therapy. Interferon was administered at a dose of 3 million units (MU) daily for the first month and thrice weekly for the following 5 months, and followed up for 2 years.

Results: In group A, serum ALT returned to normal in 4: 3, starting at the first month and one at the 3rd month of therapy and maintained normal throughout the follow-up period. In contrast, serum ALT level persistently fluctuated in 4 patients in group B. In one patient, serum ALT returned to normal one and a half years later. Regardless of therapy, serum anti-HCV titer remained unchanged in all patients. However, HCV-RNA, using polymerized chain reaction (PCR), became undetectable in all responded patients and in one untreated patient whose serum ALT returned to normal spontaneously.

Conclusion: This study suggested that interferon alpha therapy in patients with chronic type C hepatitis may be clinically effective. Our study also indicated that the detection of HCV-RNA by PCR is useful to predict the prognosis of chronic type C hepatitis.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Changes of serum ALT, anti-HCV & HCV-RNA in a responder and a non-responder whose serum ALT returned to normal.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Changes of serum ALT, anti-HCV & HCV-RNA in a non-responder.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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